Corporations Canada maintains a public database of federal corporate information. This information is used by investors, financial institutions, investigative bodies, government agencies and other third parties to make informed business decisions.
Corporations are responsible for keeping their information accurate, complete and up to date. This helps ensure that public corporate records remain reliable and that others do not rely on incorrect or outdated information.
On this page
- About the program
- Why your corporation may be contacted
- What to do if you receive an inquiry notice
- Documents you may have to provide
- How we use your documents
- Who can respond
- What happens if you do not comply with an inquiry or with your filing obligations
- Related information
About the program
The Verification and Notification Program supports the accuracy and integrity of public corporate records. Through this program, Corporations Canada may contact corporations that are under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA), the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (NFP Act) or any other federal act administered by Corporations Canada. We may contact a corporation to remind it of its filing obligations, verify information already on file, or to explain how to correct inaccurate information or incomplete information.
The program may review information such as:
- directors
- registered office address
- individuals with significant control (ISC)
- filing of annual returns.
The program may also ensure that soliciting not-for-profit corporations file their financial statements according to their obligations.
Why your corporation may be contacted
Being contacted does not necessarily mean that your corporation has done something wrong. If you have been contacted by Corporations Canada, it could be because your corporation did not file the required information with us, or because the filed information seems inaccurate or incomplete and we need you to confirm its accuracy.
We generally identify corporations in 3 ways:
- using automated and manual screening checks
- reviewing information received from other departments, including information filed with the Canada Revenue Agency
- following up on complaints from the public.
What to do if you receive an inquiry notice
An inquiry notice explains the issue identified and the action required. It is usually sent by email to the person who submitted the filing. If you receive an inquiry, you must respond.
Under section 237 of the CBCA, Corporations Canada may make an inquiry to any person about compliance with the Act and require that they provide any records, documents or information.
Important information
- If you have received an inquiry notice, you have 30 days to comply with it. In some cases, a compliance officer may call you to explain the filing requirements.
- After you receive an inquiry, you should start by consulting your corporation’s information on the Search for a Federal Corporation online tool.
- Next, follow the steps that apply to the specific issue mentioned in the notice.
- If the inquiry is related to missing information or documents, you must file those. Once that information is filed, the corporation will have complied with the inquiry.
- If the notice mentions the corporate information is inaccurate and that is the case, you must update the information. Once it has been updated, the corporation will have complied with the inquiry.
- If the notice mentions the corporate information is inaccurate, but it is in fact accurate, you must provide us with supporting documents that confirm that your information is accurate and reliable (for ex., your corporation’s ISC register or a list of shareholders). Once you submit the supporting documents and we review them and consider them satisfactory, the corporation will have complied with the inquiry.
Documents you may have to provide
Depending on the issue being verified, we may ask you to provide some supporting documents, such as:
- ISC register
- shareholders list
- corporate structure chart
- attestations or affidavits (for ex., regarding control in fact over the corporation or to attest that the information filed with us is accurate and consistent with information filed with other government agencies, including the Canada Revenue Agency)
- government-issued identification for directors or ISCs
- proof of registered office
- other supporting documents based on the inquiry.
How we use your documents
When you send us the requested documents, we will use them only to verify the accuracy of the information you have filed. These documents will not be made public. Once the corporation has complied with the inquiry, we will securely destroy them. However, if the corporation is still not compliant with the inquiry, we may keep the documents, in accordance with federal document retention policies and privacy legislation, as they may be needed for future compliance purposes.
Who can respond
Anyone who is authorized to act on behalf of the corporation and has knowledge of the corporation’s records may submit supporting documents or update corporate information to comply with the inquiry.
What happens if you do not comply with an inquiry or with your filing obligations
If you do not comply with the inquiry or with your filing obligations, the corporation will be in default and will receive a default notice.
As a result, Corporations Canada may take further measures, including:
- refusing to issue a Certificate of Compliance
- seeking a court-ordered compliance order under section 247 of the CBCA or section 259 of the NFP Act, or
- administratively dissolving the corporation.
Information filed with Corporations Canada that is a misrepresentation constitutes an offence and, on summary conviction, a person is liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, or to both.